Friday evening news roundup

By
Washington Post editors

Good evening. Okay, we’re tempted -- really tempted -- to let loose with all those wind-related puns (blown away, etc.) but frankly we think you folks have suffered enough weather-related trauma for the month of February. But we will say, it’s much nicer to watch televised snowstorm footage from other parts of the country (sorry New York, Philly) than to watch it live through your living room window. So what are we in for this weekend? Let’s see: The Capital Weather Gang says the fierce winds that have downed trees, closed schools and caused scattered power outages will diminish as the sun sets. The weekend will be breezy, but nothing like what we've had Friday. Highs will be in the 40’s Saturday.

More safety improvements. Metro will make two critical fixes to its rail cars. Officials will upgrade electronic systems to prevent trains from rolling backwards and fix door controls so that they open on the correct sides when they pull into stations. Friday’s announcement is the second safety-related change the transit agency has made this week. On Thursday, as the NTSB wrapped up three days of hearings on the June Red Line crash, the Metro board voted to increase the number of employees who can be fired without cause – mostly senior managers and mid-level supervisors. It’s a move Metro officials say will improve safety by increasing accountability. Also, Metro’s temporary 10 cent surcharge goes into effect this Sunday.

Students hospitalized. About 30 students from the Lab School of Washington were taken to the hospital for treatment following a pepper spray incident, two with minor injuries.

A dangerous building.Fairfax County’s public safety headquarters is turning out to be a hazard for the people who work inside because of its asbestos-coated ceiling and walls and frequent water leaks. This according to internal documents obtained by The Post. But whether anything will be done about the situation is uncertain: the county doesn’t have the money to move police and fire employees anywhere else.

Sugar for your tea? Dismayed by the Tea Party uprising, a Silver Spring woman starts her own group -- call it the Coffee Party. Last month, in her Silver Spring apartment, Annabel Park started a Facebook fan page called "Join the Coffee Party Movement." Within weeks, her inbox and page wall were swamped by thousands of comments from strangers in diverse locales, such as the oil fields of west Texas and the suburbs of Chicago.

A rate decrease? Officials at Dominion Virginia Power say customers could see rate decreases. This due to a revised settlement with the State Corporation Commission that was filed today. (WJLA)